In a downhill ski race, surprisingly, little advantage is gained by getting a running start. (This is because the initial kinetic energy is small compared with the gain in gravitational potential energy on even small hills.) To demonstrate this, find the final speed and the time taken for a skier who skies 70.0 m along a 30° slope neglecting friction:

(a) Starting from rest. 

(b) Starting with an initial speed of 2.50 m/s.

(c) Does the answer surprise you? Discuss why it is still advantageous to get a running start in very competitive events.